Gridiron Notes: Madden NFL 20 Title Update - October.

To ensure Madden is the best game possible, scheduled updates are deployed by the Madden Development Team to add features to the game after launch and to tune gameplay based on community feedback.

Our launch updates focus on many of the issues that Madden players report to us. We thank you for your feedback - you've helped us improve Madden NFL 20. We look forward to further feedback and are committed to continuing to meet your expectations.

Here is a detailed breakdown of what’s included in today's title update.

DEV NOTE: Superstar X-Factor reshuffling is part of our ongoing continuous development plan to keep the rosters and players as up-to-date as possible with the events of the NFL season. These updates will apply to Front End rosters for Online head-to-head games.

The re-shuffles will NOT impact existing Franchise leagues, as those leagues are already in progress with their own performance progression/regression and will not apply to new Franchise leagues created with the ‘Pre-Season Roster’ option.

New Abilities:

New X-Factor Zone Abilities:

Protective Custody - Ball carriers with this ability are immune to fumbling when in the zone.

Ultimate Team Requirements: Available as a Zone ability for running backs only.

Mossed - Inspired by Ultimate Team Legend WR Randy Moss, when players with this ability enter the zone, they will win contested catches regardless of coverage on passes of 50 yards or more (but does fall back to ratings formula when countered bypass coverage abilities).

Ultimate Team Requirements: Available as a Zone ability for wide receivers and tight ends.

Tank - Inspired by Ultimate Team Legend TE Rob Gronkowski, ball carriers with this ability break all hit-stick tackles (but does fall back to ratings formula when countered by ‘Enforcer’); this ability is only available for TE’s inside of Ultimate Team.

DEV NOTE: All new abilities will be available in Ultimate Team and Superstar KO.
For new and existing Franchise leagues, the abilities will be added in a future Title Update.

Global Updates

General stability and connectivity improvements

Updated Ravens field art

Franchise Updates

Fixed an issue causing all players from a downloaded Draft Class file to appear as ‘Early First Rounder’ in the ‘Scout College Players’ tile.

DEV NOTE: Players will only see this fix when importing a new file or re-importing the same draft class file. The fix activates when the import is processed, so existing leagues will have to make sure to import before it will take effect.

Fixed an issue causing leagues’ injury records to be deleted when toggling off the Pre-Existing Injury league setting during the season; this option is now only available during league creation.

Fixed an issue with the menu when creating a new Cloud Franchise league, using Real-Life Rosters, and navigating the Choose Week menu.

Improved ‘Advance Week’ loading times in Offline leagues when the league has multiple characters.

Fixed an issue in multi-user leagues where menus would persist when another user advanced the week.

Added a warning for coaches about save-settings when switching between Offense and Defense in the Auto-Subs menu.

Updated players that are “Last Chance" (players that will enter Free Agency the following week if not re-signed) to now be listed as ‘0’ years remaining in the Team Salaries menu.

Fixed an issue in the Trade Center menu, making TE’s & WR’s now show stats for ‘Receptions’ and ‘Receiving Yards’; HB’s now display ’Rushing Touchdowns’ and ‘Rushing Yards’

Fixed an issue causing the ‘retire’ text to say ‘Undrafted’ when the Face of the Franchise: QB1 user was cut from the team.

DEV NOTE: We have re-enabled the functionality that causes ball carriers to stumble when running into traffic in specific situations. We have isolated stumbling to situations where they are necessary but will continue to monitor and take feedback around more situations that may require ball carrier stumbles.

Tuning to reduce the frequency of ‘auto-broken’ tackles vs. AI-controlled and user-controlled defenders when using conservative tackle on Competitive game style.

DEV NOTE: This tuning will significantly decrease the frequency of ratings-based broken tackles on Competitive game style, with an even lower chance of a broken if the conservative tackle is being performed by a user-controlled defender. Conservative tackles can be used via the mechanic and/or by running into the ball carrier to initiate a tackle interaction.

Tuning to prevent ‘auto-broken’ tackles when the ball carrier is using the cover-ball mechanic on Competitive game style (excluding hit-sticks)

Tuning to prevent the ball carrier from retaining top speed while using the cover-ball mechanic on Competitive game style.

Added functionality to receiver Zone abilities ‘Rac ’em Up,’ ‘Double Me,’ and ‘Max Security’ so that they will beat the press vs. man coverage when in the zone.

Tuning to slightly increase block-shed speed for the ‘Run Stuffer’ Zone ability when in the zone.

Tuning to reduce situations where AI-controlled players are allowed to cause fumbles on Competitive game style (excluding vs. scrambling QB’s)

DEV NOTE: Based on player feedback, Madden players have expressed that AI-controlled defenders can have too much of an impact on the outcome of games when they can cause fumbles as frequently as user-controlled defenders.

This tuning change will significantly decrease the chances of AI-defenders forcing fumbles on competitive game style, but does NOT apply when tackling scrambling QB’s.

Fixed an issue that prevented the offense from snapping the ball with a player in motion while the defense was resetting the play.

Fixed an issue allowing inaccurate sky kickoffs near the sideline to be frequently recovered by the kicking team.

DEV NOTE: This has come to be known in the community as the ‘Scum Kick.' This fix will force kickoffs that are very inaccurate to sail out of bounds.

Tuning to fix an issue with Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger’s short & medium pass animations to the left.

Fixed an issue sometimes causing a player to freeze on the ground after getting tackled by the feet.

Fixed an issue allowing an AI-controlled defender to make an interception vs. the ‘Gambler’ ability in a specific multi-player catch situation.

Fixed an issue sometimes causing the kickoff animation to misalign during an onside-kick attempt by an AI-controlled team.

Fixed an issue causing a missed handoff when using an audible to End Around plays.

Tuning to improve pass leading down on slant routes.

Ultimate Team Updates

Added functionality for players to get currency refunds for Superstar Abilities, Zone Abilities and Chemistry.

DEV NOTE: All Superstar Abilities, Zone Abilities, and Chemistry will be eligible for a 90% refund at all times. Players can choose to manually go and refund individual abilities/chemistries or the refund will happen automatically when downgrading an item. After refunding, the ability/chemistry will need to be purchased again should you choose to re-equip it.

Added functionality to prevent points from improperly being awarded in specific House Rules when a penalty is committed.

Updates to MUT Draft Coach Round.

An additional Coach Round has been added at the end of the draft, with the option to choose a new playbook.

Choose 1 of 3 playbooks in the first Coach Round, then have the option to choose a new playbook from 3.

NEW choices in final coach round, for a total of 6 playbook options.

Increases chance of getting a particular playbook from 9.38% to 18.75%

Player Likeness update for MUT Legend Rob Gronkowski

Player Likeness update for MUT Legend Calvin Johnson, Jr.

Superstar KO

Snoop Dogg added as an Icon to the Superstar: KO Draft Pool.

DEV NOTE: Snoop Dogg joins the Superstar KO fray as a Legendary Wide Receiver. He can’t wait to prove himself on the field, but it begs the question: What happened to Coach Snoop?

Replies

I cannot understand why the Carolina Panthers have such a low rating 81 overall 69 offense and 82 defense. Yes I am a hardcore Panthers fan but I am also passionate about the sport of football which is why I have been playing Madden since "95". I always played online head to head with the Panthers good or bad no matter what (well expect for the Carson year that was a very bad year), but come on guys ya'll are killing me with this update. I can except Cam Newton losing the X-Factor feature I understand, but Kyle Allen a 62 rating? have you guys been looking at the stats since he started? K. Allen 80/122 CMP/ATT 901 Passing YDs 7 Passing TDs 0 INTs in only 4 games. Why is this guy a 62? He should at least be a 75 or 77 I think he has earned it. Next since K.Allen became a starter we have scored a total of 125 points in the last 4 games we are CURRENTLY 5th in the NFL for POINTS. How are we a 69? Why is our defense an 82? The Cowboys have lost 3 games in a row and the defense is better than the Panthers, how? We are #1 in sacks so far this season. Tied at #3 for turnovers with Chicago (86 rating) Seattle (85 rating). I could continue but I feel like I've said enough. Please fix this so I can enjoy playing with my favorite team again.

Lost about 50-60k in training and only received 20k. Just frustrating people that don’t spend money on the game get training back and I didn’t even get half of what I lost. I’m on Xbox GT is BiggzOsama

Can you guys add new face masks for the speedflex like the obj one & the different vengeance face masks wit the eyebrows like the one Myles Garrett has ? & also can you add the Xenith shadow helmet ? Please & Thank you

The coding sucks on the Ultimate team and trying to get credit for what you earned that never showed up is even harder. I have had my game freeze up on solo battle wins and not give credit for wins ( 4th time now ). Will not even kick over to the solo battle win screen. No time left in the game, just keeps showing me the stadium . On another note, My Pat Tillman card never received its mut card for 20 wins, so now Pat Tilmanvcan never go past a 89, even though I have all his master upgrades, to take him to a 95 sitting in my Item binder. Because it didn’t register my first task of 20 wins. So I am one Mut card short ! Cheating game been three weeks now. Makes it hard to compete fairly in weekend events that decide, if you make a tournament, without good players you earned. My mut has been maxed out for three weeks now at 60 and I am a legendary in MUT on packs purchase. What else do you want from me EA sports, my IRA’s , saving accounts to get the game play credits, I earned through playing and spending money on your game, trying to make a tournament, but getting cheated by game errors and coding issues?? Please take time to respond to your consumer base and fix your issues!

Madden was so much better when you focused on Franchise. You have to many modes now and none are or will ever reach its full potential because you guys are to spread out. You need to condense modes or split it up into 2 separate games. Please make Franchise into its own game with full in depth features you have to know what we want by now. Been screaming it for years since you ruined Franchise and keep putting band aides on it.

Madden Devs please fix the CPU ball carriers. I can tell you the exact patch that ruined the CPU from using their ball carrier moves. Patch 1.11. ever since that patch, the CPU has been lifeless. Elusive players are not even a factor. They just run right into tackles when they have nowhere else to go without even trying to put on a move. They no longer make any exciting plays by making a defender miss a tackle. Before that patch, the CPU was so much more realistic and amazing the way they executed their ball carrier abilities. It’s so annoying to even play the CPU because they don’t even use their X-Factor abilities at all. What’s the point of them having the “Juke Box” ability if they never even try to execute jukes? I have been a madden fan for the longest and this has completely ruined my experience. This ruins the game for simulation players, this ruins the game for people who watch CPU vs CPU gameplay, this ruins the game for players who don’t play head to head that just want to enjoy playing the game offline, this ruins the game for players who want an actual challenge from the CPU and want to feel like they are playing against an elusive threat like a Lamar Jackson or a Saquon Barkley. The gameplay experience is just so bland without this. They are literally just running with the football and that’s it smh. Please bring back the jukes, trucking, & stiff arming abilities of the CPU ball carriers.

PS4 Franchise Dalvin Cook No X-Factor
Im not sure if anyone else is experiencing this, but in franchise mode, dalvin cooks x factor does not appear. Even if you select the vikings, cooks x-factor ability or even superstar abilities do not show up

Just gonna put this out there. In franchise when you go to resign someone and back out to resign another, the options are blacked out and you are unable to read them, all you got to do is back out of the resigning menu then go back in but it's annoying.

Also if you call a hurry-up play in franchise mode within 2 minutes of either half, if you call a timeout afterward, you are forced to take a delay of game penalty as no menus pop up and no button on the controller does anything. Except for the ps4 menu button which you can use to close the game out.

Also, Idk if some players on the game are made to not know how much they are worth but I just had a 66 overall 3rd string Qb try and get a 3 year 28.7 million dollar contract, this guy hasn't thrown a single pass in the three years he's been in the NFL but he thinks he is worth real money? I just resigned my backup 68 overall for barely a million a year over 2 years lol

Staying with Franchise mode. I think it is ridiculous that Qbs ranging from 62-68 are all still throwing over 4000 yards and topping the league in passing yards during simulations, some without even having any good receivers or tight ends.. I can understand a Qb throwing 4000 yards and 1700 of them being caught by a superstar receiver but even that is broken, If OBJ is the only good receiver on the team, it doesn't make sense for him to have 68 catches and the number 2 & 3 guys to have 79-74 catches respectively.. The number 2&3 guys (in there 70s overall) should have 20 fewer catches each and Odell should have 40 more catches... The simulation of Franchise mode is annoying, especially since the ONLY reason I buy the game year in and out is to play franchise for the stats, kind of sucks when the stats aren't anywhere near where they should be... There needs to be some sort of simulation sliders people can use to keep idiotic things like that from happening! I want to see the superstars in Franchise mode playing like it even when games are simulated, and vice versa I don't want a 69 overall Qb with a 119 Passer rating throwing 3tds & 270+ yards per game and completing 75% of his passes, I don't care who you have around that Qb, I don't care how perfect your scheme and playbook are, he is NOT going to do that! EVERRRR!
If a quarterback is under 75 overall how about making the chances of him throwing 300+ yards in a simulation lesser. Nobody rated under 70 is any good at all so they should have like a 5% chance in simulated games to throw 300 yards, if they throw a 300 yard game cut that 5% to 2% so they don't have back to back games, because a bad Qb would NEVER throw 300 yards back to back. Simulated games are a roll of the dice right? Change up the dice rolls, ❤️❤️❤️❤️ isn't that hard, it is literally how gaming began and I have worked on simulation games and that is literally the easiest thing you can do. STOP being lazy. Why can't you get simple ❤️❤️❤️❤️ like that right? only qbs 85+ should be throwing 300 yards more than once or twice a game.

Also, I seen the Dev notes and please get the new Superstar & X factor abilities in already existing franchises ASAP! I refuse to restart a franchise I have already devoted hundreds of gameplay hours in and already won 3 MVP awards in. The fact you would add ANYTHING with the inability for already existing franchises to access it is kind of silly! I don't care about the real NFL players you put x factors on, I could care less, my first point when I make a franchise is to simulate a few years so I don't have to deal with all the real players and existing rosters. However I would love my 6'4 99-speed receiver to have the "moss'd" ability instead of double me. My Franchise doesn't truly start until the majority of the existing NFL players are retired. I don't care about the players I want to build my own franchise. Please, I am begging you, add the new x-factor and superstar abilities to Franchise. NOBODY cares if some random idiot has x-factor in the exhibition and not a franchise, we just want our franchise to have all the same features the rest of the modes are getting... AND for the love of everything football, make it so a Coach/Owner can edit which abilities people have... seeing a 5'9 with double me is ridiculous and there are about 3 of them in my franchise. I also have a cornerback who has absolutely no hit power that has the selfless trait. It is idiotic how the game seems to assign random traits to players, most of the time they make zeros sense, I had a scrambling Qb who was actually the "fastest" player in the league, and thanks to his pocket passer abilities it was nearly impossible to even run for 5 yards. He was getting caught up to and tackled by defensive tackles with speed in the 70s.... this game has a franchise mode that needs a major rehaul. I love all the added abilities, yet you miss the mark on every single thing all of us franchise guys have been asking for for years! In madden 2007 you could access the history books, now your franchise mode is as stale as a 13-year-old bag of chips, Everything seems to be a cookie-cutter format (besides the new coach/player talking system) which is not how a franchise should be at all! I absolutely hate the fact I can't go and look back at who won the MVP in my franchise 7 years ago. People who play franchise want to look at stats!!! that's our infatuation! I was hooked on franchise mode as a kid because of all the options and the stats and historical stats, now none of that is apart of the game ANYWHERE! Just a bunch of dummies collecting cards and playing online, none of that is fun to me. Franchise mode is the only reason I have bought this game every year since madden 2006.

Madden was so much better when you focused on Franchise. You have to many modes now and none are or will ever reach its full potential because you guys are to spread out. You need to condense modes or split it up into 2 separate games. Please make Franchise into its own game with full in depth features you have to know what we want by now. Been screaming it for years since you ruined Franchise and keep putting band aides on it.

If it was in-depth I would buy it every year and never buy a madden ever again.

Will you guys just get rid of franchise, would be easier than getting our hopes up with each game/updates that you’re actually going to add and fix things we have consistently ask for and just have a good franchise/superstar mode in general, and just be honest with us that you don’t care about the mode because it’s not MUT or some other money grabbing gimmick.